Around the Summer Solstice in June 2022, an incredible human, Ranger Reuben, a dear cousin and fellow Bloomington, Ind., native, led me on a mind-blowing adventure around some of the stunning natural treasures of Yosemite National Park.

These days were laced with life highlights at a mind-bending rate and I have here tried to catalog and preserve an overwhelming media load collected during five jam-packed days of excursion, expedition and excitement in one of the most magnificent natural regions of The Americas.

June, 19, 2022 — Yosemite Day One

From the sights out of my plane windows from Indy to Fresno via Arizona on to my first steps into the world of Yosemite National Park, the sights were blowing my mind in an endless barrage. Because I’d delayed packing, I’d hit the airport in the wee hours of the morning on one hour of sleep, but the excitement of the scenery kept me buzzing like an Italian espresso stand.

June, 20, 2022 — Yosemite Day Two, Orientation Continues

June, 20, 2022 — Yosemite Day Two, Part Two: Appreciating the Native Ahwahnechee Roots of Yosemite

June, 20, 2022 — Yosemite Day Two, Part Three: Cook’s Meadow. Behold the magnificence Yosemite Falls and its environs!

June, 20, 2022 — Yosemite Day Two, Part Four: The Ahwahnee Wows!

June, 20, 2022 —Yosemite Day Two, Part Five: Olmstead Point Lizard Hunter 🙂

June, 20, 2022 — Yosemite Day Two, Part Six: Tioga Pass and High Country

June, 20, 2022 — Yosemite Day Two, Part Seven: Heaven on Earth, Olmstead Point at Sunset

June, 21, 2022 — Yosemite Day Three, Part One: The Hike Begins Up the Four-Mile Trail toward Glacier Point

June, 21, 2022 — Yosemite Day Three, Part Two: The Four-Mile Hike Becomes a 16-Mile Summer Solstice Spirit Quest

June, 22, 2022 — Yosemite Day Four, Part One: Recovery Day, Maxin’ and Relaxin’

June, 22, 2022 — Yosemite Day Four, Part Two: Recovery Continues: Swinging Bridge, Mirror Lake and El Capitan Climbers Camping on the Monolith

June 23, 2022 — Yosemite Day Five, Part One: Coffee & Rain (No action, just a moment of zen)

June 23, 2022 — Yosemite Day Five, Part Two: Lee’s Vining Latte and Mammoth Lake Trails

June 23, 2022 — Yosemite Day Five, Part Three: Devils Postpile, geologic geometry

June 23, 2022 — Yosemite Day Five, Part Four: Heaven for Lunch (Ohana’s at June Lake post postpile)

June 23, 2022 — Yosemite Day Five, Part Five: Mono Lake is Out Of This World!

June 23, 2022 — Yosemite Day Five, Part Six: Volcano, Bear, Coffee (and, to top it off) Waterfall

P.S.

A note to this post’s general audience:

Reuben (the son of my mother’s sister, Sarah) has one of the most motivating takes on life I’ve ever encountered. He has manifested an amazing will to live through a litany of life challenges that could seriously derail a person’s ability to carry on. For example: As a boy, his primary love was baseball, yet his playing career was cut short in high school when he was forced to endure a leg amputation to save his life from cancer. These days, this 44-year-old is dealing with organ failure. PEOPLE, PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO HELP SUPPORT THIS FABULOUS HUMAN WHO IS MONTH AFTER MONTH DOING HIS OWN DIALYSIS DAILY AS HE AWAITS A KIDNEY DONATION FOR TRANSPLANT. You can reach him by mail at P.O. Box 253, El Portal, CA, 95318. If you prefer Venmo, his handle is: @Reuben-Cochran-1. How you donate is up to you! He’d be happy to receive anything: words of support, cash … a kidney!